


For You, I Risk It All

by EvanHarr98



Series: Nautical Grumbo [1]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF, Titanic (1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Titanic Fusion, Grian as Jack, Hermitcraft - Freeform, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I absolutely love Titanic the movie, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Iskall is his own character, M/M, Mumbo as Rose, Period-Typical Sexism, Scar as Margaret Brown, Titanic References, i can't, not from titanic :D
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23631508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanHarr98/pseuds/EvanHarr98
Summary: Mumbo felt like a prisoner, he felt so trapped and isolated by his class. Did you hear? A new ship was sailing to America. What a wonderful world that could be, starting fresh. He read it in the paper, this ship was to set sail soon. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be free then.(This story is on a hiatus, but it will be completed, I won’t leave it unfinished :D - however, I am sorry if any of you are upset by this declaration :( I hope to be posting new chapters for this story soon)
Relationships: Iskall85/StressMonster101, Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, Oliver Brotherhood & Charles | Grian
Series: Nautical Grumbo [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701166
Comments: 92
Kudos: 92





	1. Trapped

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I in no way own the story of the Titanic movie, if I did, I'd be rich! Like actually loaded :D I also don't own any of the content that the Hermits put into the world. Finally, I only ship their YouTube personas, not them in real life. 
> 
> So this story isn't going to be updated as fast as Careful What You Wish For, I just needed to see this AU and no one else has done it, so I'm grasping it with both hands and running with it. :D 
> 
> If you enjoy it, please leave kudos and a comment :D

He'd read about the ship in the paper one morning. His mother had been so ecstatic about it, she hadn't stopped her nattering. Mumbo had lived with this hellish limbo for weeks, but now, finally, he was about to board. The carriage shuddered over the uneven cobblestone as they rode, Mumbo and his mother shared the space and he slumped sulkily against the side, eyes watching as the dank and dirty streets of Plymouth passed them by. His mother, on the other hand, couldn't stop her mouth from flapping. She reeled off names of the first-class guests as if that meant anything to the raven-haired man. He could care less about status or social hierarchy. It was more of a curse than a blessing. He'd spent years of his life being told how to sit, how to eat, how to breath. He had had enough of it all. 

Mumbo wanted to be an engineer, he'd loved how the Redstone dust felt against his skin and often would draw sketches of contraptions he wanted to build. But his mother hated that too, "An engineer is a job for the lower Class, Mumbo. If you marry properly, you'll then be doing our family name proud." She would hiss at him whenever he had the chance to get wrist deep in his dream work. 

The cart pulled to a stop, his mother whined about how bumpy the ride had been and how she couldn't wait to be away from the scum that walked the streets. Mumbo rolled his eyes and sighed as the door opened. Cub stood in the entrance to the cart, his greying beard was perfectly trimmed and neat, it matched his salt and pepper hair. "I hope both of you had a pleasant trip." He greeted his mother and himself properly, lifting the bowler hat that sat atop his head, he reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a tip to hand to the driver. "Zedaph, I want our bags to be put in our rooms." He told the blond boy, who stood behind him. The younger man muttered a quiet "Yes sir." As he moved to take as many bags as he could carry. 

Zedaph was a small boy, for as long as Mumbo had known Cub, Zedaph had waited on him hand and foot. He was rather young to be a butler, but he was very good at his job and distantly seemed to enjoy serving Cub. Mumbo hated the entire dynamic, he thought it was entirely unneeded and would often try to release Zedaph of his duties, to allow the younger man a break. 

"So what do you think, Mumbo?" Cub asked as he helped the other man down from the cart. Mumbo couldn't help the gasp that left his chest. The Titanic certainly lived up to its name, it was a mammoth of a ship and from the outside seemed very luxurious, Mumbo nodded silently and shrugged.   
"It is rather large," He offered quietly. Cub turned to Mumbo's mother and they shared a soft chuckle at his response before he wrapped an arm around Mumbo, directing him towards the boat.  
"You are so difficult to impress." He hummed as they climbed the steps. 

Mumbo ignored Cub as they walked, his eyes were flicking across he metal masterpiece, his mind imagining all the Redstone that went behind it, that powered it. He longed to take a peek inside, but yet he knew he would be scolded by his mother and shamed for his curiosity. Besides, he was supposed to be nothing but a pretty face, a business deal, that brought two businesses together. People slapped on the title of marriage to make the entire process more palatable. Mumbo seethed at the entire situation. He didn't want to marry a man he didn't love. How could he? But he was, he had no choice.

The boat was just as pretty on the inside than on the out. The corridors were tall and grand, but Mumbo still felt his head was far too close to the ceiling for his comfort. He was tall and lanky, and he hated it. He was so clumsy and often would bumble into situations without thinking. His mother would tell him off for his carelessness, and in all honestly, he hated himself for it. It was probably the only thing that he agreed with her on. 

Their cabins were just as large and grand, mahogany lined the walls and any builder would be astonished at the architecture, a four-poster bed was the centrepiece for the room and Mumbo felt swamped with the beauty of it all. It was so overwhelming and all a little too much for his mind to grasp. "Where would you like this, sir?" Zedaph interrupted his thoughts and Mumbo glanced to the picture that the younger man was holding. It was rather odd, so strange and otherworldly. He loved the paintings, they were his second love, only second to that of Redstone. He could stare at them for hours, imagining himself in those canvasses, free from the ties of his life. "Over there, please." He told the butler. 

"Why do you insist on keeping those wretched things, Mumbo?" Cub asked as he saddled up beside the other man. Mumbo shrugged.  
"Some of us simply have good taste." He told him.

Cub hummed at his jab and smirked, he seemed to enjoy teasing the other man, much to Mumbo's chagrin. He wished that he would be left alone, but alas, he was stuck in this prison. A life of luxury. Mumbo distantly wondered if he was self-centred. After all, there were people much worse off than himself. 


	2. Humble Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, I apologise for the shorter chapter today, I hope you enjoy it :D

Music could be heard through the pub, the happy and joyful notes swam about the four men as they hunched over the table. Grian peered over his cards and squinted at the other players. He kept a straight face and remained calm as one of the men threw down two pieces of paper. "Two tickets for the Titanic." Called the player. Grian watched them for a moment before nodding. They each revealed their hands and laid their cards on the table. Before Grian could celebrate, Iskall screamed behind him, laughing all the way. 

Grian flashed a smug grin at the other men. "Where are we going, Iskall?" Grian asked.

"America! We're going to ride the Titanic!" Iskall yelled joyously, the other patrons of the pub watched them with amused expressions.

"Good luck with that. Look at the time! You'll never make it." The gruff barman murmured as he jerked his finger towards the clock on the wall. Grian glanced at it and his eyes widened. He reached across to Iskall and dragged him from the pub, tickets and winnings in hand, as they pushed through the lines of people waiting to buy tickets. They rushed through impatient men, worrying women and screaming children, before finally, they stopped at the lice inspector. 

"We don't have any lice!" Grian whined as the man insisted on checking them both. Before the man could finish his search, Grian had grown too impatient and had already taken off in the direction of the ticket master. "Come on, Iskall!" He yelled, hearing his Swedish friend giggling behind him.

"Tickets, please." The man droned out. 

Grian grinned and handed him the two pieces of paper. The man squinted at the paper, and then glanced up at the two, before nodding. "Okay." He muttered. 

Grian glanced back to Iskall, his eyes shining brightly. "Let's get to the top deck!" He suggested, buzzing with excitement. Iskall watched his young friend, rolling his eyes with fond exasperation, he followed Grian to the top deck and the two partook in waving their farewells to the people down below. "Goodbye England and hello America!" Grian sang.


	3. Nights Like These

Mumbo could scream, in fact, he had to enforce a whole lot of self-control to stop himself from doing just that. Everyone around him seemed to be brainwashed, completely self-absorbed by the idea that they're worth something. Each one of them, his mother was tittering with some other woman, as they chatted about the latest dresses, while the men all talked about the latest news. He wanted to stand on the table and shout at them all. Tell them that they are not the centre of the universe. He breathed a heavy sigh and reached into his trouser pocket, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter. 

"Mumbo, put that down, that's hardly proper." His mother snatched the cigarette from his hand, before he had the chance to light it. He silently seethed at her, his eyes narrowed.

"I'll thank you for your concern, but I want to smoke." He told her. His mother scoffed at him and patted his shoulder.

"Of course you do, dear." She placated him as if he were a child. Mumbo glared at her, affronted. Before Cub leant over and whispered at him.

"Don't worry yourself, Mumbo. Your mother is quite right, it's hardly proper to be smoking." Cub's voice was filled to the brim with how smug he was. Mumbo gave him a sideways glance.

"You and your friends can often be found smoking your cigars, what's wrong with me having a cigarette." Mumbo complained, his eyes challenging the other man. Cub watched him silently before he patted Mumbo's shoulder, a smirk stretching across his face.

"The men and I do that in private, not with the ladies." He told him. Mumbo glared at the man and huffed, crossing his arms.

"Am I not a man then?"

"Mumbo." His mother scolded, her face twisted in shock. "Learn your place." She hissed, her glare pinned Mumbo to his seat, his next words dying in his throat. He was watched. Every movement, every second of every day. Mumbo couldn't stand it. Why couldn't he be himself. He distracted himself with complex redstone contraptions, imagining them filling the room. He imagined himself working on them, sweat fixing his dress shirt to his skin, hands covered with the red dust as he made a contraption that was amazing and completely dazzling. 

But the sheer reality of being himself was impossible. How was Mumbo supposed to be happy when he couldn't even sit comfortably without being called out for it. He huffed and stood from the table. 

"Mumbo where are you--" His mother tried to tell him off once again, but Mumbo interrupted her.

"I'm going for a spot of fresh air." He sniped before turning on his heel and leaving, all without bidding the others a goodnight. His lack of manners sent a wave of excitement through his body and he walked a little faster.

There were two men stood at the doors that lead out onto the main deck, Mumbo gave them both a glance and they opened the doors for him, bidding him a goodnight and thanking him for his attendance to the first dinner on the ship. He grunted in response and stormed across the deck. He hadn't a clue where he was going, he just needed to get away from his mother and fiance. He felt his chest tighten with anger as he walked. An empty space caught his eye, on the deck, there was a mass of emptiness, a storage system would go there perfectly. One where the crew could drop their tools into and the system would sort it and store each item in their own chest. 

Mumbo was so distracted that he didn't hear the distant shouting behind him, well not until it was too late. 

"Look out!" The words echoed in his mind, who would be shouting at this hour? It was so quiet on the deck. Mumbo yelled as the railing collided with his stomach. He grunted as he fell over to the otherside. He gripped the railing tightly, holding himself in place, as his legs dangled off the side of the ship. He could see the blades of the propeller at the bottom of the ship, it cut through the water and forced the ship forward, Mumbo's hands slipped slightly and he yelled again, calling for help. 

A warm hand latched onto his wrist. "What are you doing?" The soft voice called from above, Mumbo glanced to the other man and his eyes connected with the soft blue orbs of a short blond man. "I did call to you to watch out." He told him. Mumbo huffed, his hands aching from holding his weight.

"Could you help me up?" Mumbo asked. The man nodded and pulled with as much force as he could. Mumbo felt himself ascending, he yelped as the railing hit his side and scraped against his skin as he was dragged over to safety. The two men collided with the ground, panting.

"Why did you do that?" The blond man asked, trying to catch his breath. Mumbo glanced at him, wide-eyed. He didn't have an answer. The taller man shrugged, speechless. He glanced back to the railing. "Was it..." The blond spoke hesitantly. "On purpose?" He asked. Mumbo glared at him.

"Of course not." He snapped.

"Then why?" The blond pushed. 

Mumbo watched this other man, his brows furrowed in thought. "I..." He blushed. "I think..." The blond smiled encouragingly, not pushing Mumbo. "I think it may have been thoughtlessness. But I can't say for certain that I didn't want it to happen." Mumbo muttered. He glanced to the man and his eyes narrowed at the soft smile he saw there.

"I know... You look at me, I have money, I'm on my way to a new future. What do I have to be sad about?"

"No, not at all." The blond frowned slightly. "I wonder, why would a beautiful man like yourself, ever feel it necessary to do such a thing, when all you have to do is look and there will be someone there to help."

"Like you?"

The blond chuckled and shrugged.

"Hey! What's going on?!" A distant voice called out. 

"I'm Grian. Nice to meet you."

Mumbo would have smiled, except, in the distance he saw a group of men barrelling towards them. Cub was one of them. Great.


	4. Eyes That See

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter, if you're liking how it's going so far, please leave a comment and kudos if you haven't already. However, I urge you to buckle up and enjoy the ride as I take you through this next chapter.

Mumbo heaved a sigh as he pulled himself to his feet, he watched as Cub rushed over to him, hands cupping his face and eyes scanning his body for marks or obvious signs of harm. "Are you okay?" He asked frantically. Mumbo's stomach coiled wretchedly, he fought every instinct in his body not to pull away from the sweaty appendages, that pawed at his body. He righted himself and refrained from rolling his eyes, forcing a smile. 

"I'm fine." He replied simply, eyes straying past Cub and to the blond that had saved him. The man was much shorter than Mumbo, his skin was gently tanned and he wore ill-fitting clothes. Mumbo let himself assume that this was down to money, rather than a fashion choice. The man's hair was a mess of wavy golden strands and his eyes shone a glistening blue. He smirked at Mumbo before he was dragged roughly to his feet by the men that had stormed towards them with Cub. 

"What do you think you were doing?" Cub rounded on the man, his eyes blazing with anger and possession. "What were you doing to my fiance?" He yelled, voice full of sinister accusations. Mumbo huffed at the overreaction and stepped between Cub and his saviour. 

"He saved my life, Cub." He interjected. The older man sputtered in response, staring at Mumbo as if he had grown a second head.

Cub's lackeys glanced between the man, in their grasp, and Cub, their faces were a mixture of confusion. "What do you want us to do with him, sir?" One of them asked as a pair of handcuffs were pulled from his belt. Cub fell silent for a moment, as his mind raced through thoughts, he glanced back to Mumbo and his eyes narrowed.

"Did you just say that he saved your life?" Cub asked. Mumbo flashed his best fake smile and nodded.

"That's exactly what I said."

"Well, what happened then?"

Mumbo glanced at the blond, trying to silently tell the man to remain quiet and let him handle it. He must have received the message, because the shorter man remained wordless and stood stock still, waiting for Mumbo's explanation. Mumbo glanced to Cub.

"I thought I saw dolphins." Cub's eyes boggled at that.

"Dolphins?" He repeated.

Mumbo nodded and smiled wistfully. "Yeah, I thought they were just so pretty, and you know what I'm like, I couldn't help myself, I had to get a closer look. I leant too far forward and toppled over the edge." He explained. "This man, well he was... He just..." Mumbo glanced to the other, face blank and lost for words.

"I came for some fresh air, the lower class cabins tend to smell a bit." Grian filled in for Mumbo and flashed the raven-haired man a small smile and nodded encouragingly. 

"Exactly, and I was just so lucky that he happened to see me when he did. I'm sure I would have fallen to my death." He batted his lashes at Cub and pretended to appear sheepish, he leant into his fiance and sighed. "It was just so scary." He whimpered.

Cub watched Mumbo as he explained, his face didn't change from the slightly confused expression that seemed to be fixed to his features. He let out a chuckle and nodded, wrapping an arm around Mumbo. "It's alright men." He signalled for his assistants to let go of the blond. "Lest we deprive the hero of his freedom." He added, before pulling Mumbo closer. "And you, I think that's rather enough excitement for one day." Mumbo nodded along with Cub, although every fibre of his being wanted to rebel against the condescending tones. He forced a yawn and drooped his eyes. "I think... I think you're right, Cub. You do look after me, so." He added. 

The older man seemed to gleam at Mumbo's words as he began to lead the raven-haired man away. Mumbo halted in his tracks, tugging on Cub's sleeve, the older man frowned and glanced to where Mumbo had wrapped his fingers around his sleeve. "Do you not want to reward the man who saved me?" He asked, watching Cub expectantly. Cub smirked at his fiance before glancing back to the smaller man. He nodded.

"Of course. Allow me to invite you to dinner, Mister..?" He trailed off, asking for a name. The blond cleared his throat, standing taller.

"Grian. Just Grian." He replied.

"Ah. Well, Grian. I would like to extend an invitation to you to join us for dinner." Grian smiled anxiously and glanced between Mumbo and Cub. He nodded. 

"Thank you." He muttered simply, allowing the smile to reach his eyes. Cub nodded triumphantly and bid all on the deck a goodnight before guiding Mumbo back to their cabin. 

* * *

Grian watched the man leave. The assistants glared at him for a moment longer before turning their noses up at him and trotting away, hot on Cub's heels. Grian let himself breath out a sigh of relief as he collected himself. He had originally emerged from his cabin, that he shared with Iskall and several other men, to escape the claustrophobic space and relieve his ears of the loud giggling. Iskall was one of his closest friends, but the man had a rather unmissable and unforgettable laugh. 

At no point in his plan had he thought he would encounter such a strange course of events. He had been leant against one of the benches, listening to the lapping water and allowing the cool air to bathe his skin, when he had heard the steady and fast footsteps trail past him. He had caught sight of a well-dressed man, for a moment he had been so encapsulated by the man's beauty that he almost didn't realise where he was headed. Obviously stuck in thought, Mumbo had not realised where he was walking and had slammed right into the end railings, diving headfirst, over the edge. 

Almost everything about the situation forced Grian to assume the action was somewhat planned, if not consciously, then most definitely unconsciously, that thought bothered him more than he was comfortable with. He couldn't help but empathise with the taller man, there had often been times where Grian also fell prey to his darker thoughts, however, he had never acted on them. Thankfully, he was able to run to the man quickly and pull him back to safety. Grian huffed out a breathless chuckle as he delved into the memories of the night's events. The man, in Grian's opinion, was rather dashing, he wore a form-fitting suit with a silk red tie, well-groomed and almost coal-black hair, along with a smooth moustache. The man was the perfect depiction of elegance. 

As much as Grian was painfully aware of the class differences, he hoped it wasn't about to be the last time he saw the stunning man. At least, if Grian had any part of it, he would be seeing a great deal more of the beautiful person that was known as Mumbo. Grian smirked to himself and cast a glance back to the ocean, committing the name to memory. Mumbo. This was certainly a night he would never forget.


	5. What A Following

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo! So here is another chapter. I'm trying to stick to the major plotpoints of the movie, while also adding my own little bits for the characters. I hope I'm pulling it off okay though... Could you tell me what you think in the comments and we'll see how we can morph this story into our own without absolutely ripping the movie off. >.> Any help is appreciated :D 
> 
> Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and another one will be posted tomorrow. I'm coming to an end with my other story, Careful What You Wish For, and I have many ideas for different series of shorter stories that I wanted to start. 
> 
> I promise I haven't forgotten about the seasonal series. Another chapter will be added soon. :D

Mumbo leant against the railing and watched the waves, the ocean was bright blue in this area of the world. He felt that if he leant over far enough, he'd spot the ocean floor.

"We don't want a repeat of last time." A familiar voice interrupted Mumbo's thoughts, he pulled himself away from the railings and glanced to the source of the voice. Stood behind him was Grian, he was leant against the wall of the ship, arms folded across his chest. The blond man who'd saved him only a couple of nights prior. 

"Why do I feel like you're following me?" Mumbo asked, a sarcastic drawl entering his words. Grian smirked and pushed away from his place, stepping towards the moustached man. 

"It's a small ship." Grian shrugged. Mumbo scoffed and surveyed the vessel. It was far from small, it rather lived up to its name in Mumbo's opinion.

"And you've been on many ships, I gather." Mumbo joked. Grian chuckled and nodded.

"Why of course, on my many travels."

"Of course."

"You don't believe me?" 

"Oh I do, I just..." Mumbo glanced down to his feet, a soft tinge painting his cheeks.

"Ah. Because I'm poor?" Grian answered for the man. Mumbo's head shot up and he shook it, blabbering and stuttering over different variants of the word 'No.' His cheeks transforming from pink to red. Grian grinned at the reaction and winked. "It's fine. I'm okay with not having much. It gives me freedom." He stated.

At this, Mumbo sighed forlornly, envy swelled in his heart as he watched Grian turn to the ocean, his eyes scanning the water's surface. "Have you ever had a spit competition?" Grian asked, his eyes lighting up playfully. Mumbo's brow furrowed in a mixture of curiosity and disgust, he shook his head in response. "Like this." Grian then coughed back and spat as far as he could off the side of the ship.

"Wow." Mumbo hummed and leant over the edge, to try and see any sign of it. He glanced back to Grian. "That's both appalling, yet extremely amusing." He grinned. 

"You try."

"Me?"

"Yeah." Grian nodded. "Or are you too much of a chicken?" 

Mumbo blushed and glanced away at that. "I'll have a go." He then gave a rather pitiful attempt at spitting into the water, years of being brought up in an upper-class household, surrounded by well-to-do businessmen and elegant ladies, riled against his actions. He knew he should have been completely against such a juvenile task, if his mother had seen, she wouldn't have held back on her harsh words. But the sight of his mother's face in his mind's eye was enough for him to try again. This time the resulting spittle was rather impressive, it flew almost as far as Grian's had. He smiled proudly at Grian, who chuckled at his reaction. 

"Well, the first one was just disappointing, however, I must commend you, good sir. That was an amazing spit." He grinned and forced a very posh voice, mocking the people who'd looked down on him all his life. Mumbo giggled at that. The small high pitched sound was intoxicating and Grian found himself needing to hear it more. He had gone his entire life without hearing Mumbo's laugh and he knew, at that second, that if he heard it a thousand times a day, he would die a very happy man. "You almost put me to shame there." He commented and gave it another go, and then another but this time joined by Mumbo.

The pair had been seen by several other passengers, all equally as disgusted as the last, but they didn't care. Mumbo and Grian had one mission, and that was to beat the other and spit the furthest. 

"Mumbo." Cub's voice was a barricade. Mumbo felt his shoulders bunch at the sound. The cage had just begun to lift, allowing him to peer at the life he could attain, but those iron bars came crashing back around him when he saw his fiance's face. "What are you doing?" He asked. Grian blushed slightly at how Cub had reacted, his upper-class snobbery placing him on a pedestal and staring down at both Mumbo and Grian. The man himself wasn't much taller than Grian, yet he felt like he had to strain his neck to look at him. If only the ground could swallow him up. 

"We were... ah..." Mumbo stuttered, a brighter blush overtaking Grian's own. 

"Dolphins again?" Cub drawled and fixed a glare on Grian. Mumbo shook his head in answer. 

"N-no... we just, well, we..." He fell silent as he tried to collect his words, it was as if he could see the dictionary in front of him, but it was written entirely in jibberish, until his mind clicked. Mumbo had specifically chosen this spot, intentionally trying to hide from the other passengers, it just so happened that Grian had a similar thought process. Cub, however, relished in the attentions of the other passengers. There was no reason for him to have found them. "Why are you here?" 

Caught off guard, it was Cub's turn to stutter. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced about the boat for some form of inspiration before he locked his eyes back with Mumbo's. "Your mother is looking for you. She wants you to prepare for tonight's dinner." He stated, confidently. Mumbo felt his heart sink. He wanted to stay with Grian, wanted to continue laughing. It felt like he had finally been able to brush the cobwebs and dust from his smile. But alas, it was time for him to hide it once again. 

"Okay." He muttered quietly before glancing back to Grian, the blond smiled at him and Mumbo felt a flash of happiness overtake him once more. "I'll see you there, Grian." He grinned before slipping past Cub and walking towards his cabin. 

Grian sighed as he watched Mumbo leave. The man was so troubled, so mysterious and extremely attractive. He needed to learn everything about him. He felt compelled. Cub cleared his throat, snapping Grian back to the present. "Indeed. We shall see you there." Cub muttered, his upper lip curling in disgust as he gave Grian a judgemental once over and stepping away, his shoes clicking against the deck. Grian let go of the breath he'd not realised he'd been holding. He felt trapped while just existing in the general vicinity of Cub. He leant against the railings and stared down at the ocean, mind focused on one specific person that he shared the boat with. One specific man. 

"Excuse me." A soft voice pulled Grian from his thoughts and he glanced back. There was a taller man stood not too far from him, he wore a suit that was slightly too large for him, his hair was fixed neatly and his shoes were horrendously over polished.

"Yeah?" Grian replied. The man walked forwards and flashed a friendly smile.

"I couldn't help but overhear that you've been invited to the dinner tonight." The man muttered. "I certainly hope you weren't planning on attending in your current clothes." Grian gaped at the man and stared at his own clothes before returning his eyes back to him.

"Well, I mean..." He stammered. "I don't have anything else." He ended, his voice soft, tainted with embarrassment.

"Oh, not to worry, I can find a suit that would fit you perfectly. My name's Scar." The man offered his hand. Grian let a smile spread across his face.

"Grian." He replied.

"Fantastic. Grian, if you come on down in about half an hour, I can have a suit out for you in no time." 

* * *

"Upper class?" Iskall gaped. "Grian, you can't be serious." He shouted. Grian had returned to the cabin that he shared with Iskall. The two other men that also bunked with them had introduced themselves as Jevin and Ren, they were sat on their beds and watching the scene with delight, enjoying the commotion.

"I haven't known you for long, but seriously, you don't think you could pull it off, could you?" Ren asked. Jevin giggled at his friend's words. Grian shrugged. 

"Maybe? There's this guy who's going to lend me a suit."

"Lend you a suit? Grian, you can't be serious? Please tell me you're joking?" Iskall begged, his eyes wide with horror. Grian shrugged and gave him a guilty smile. The Swedish man sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's for a guy, isn't it?" Grian instantly flushed pink and trained his eyes on his shoes. He shuffled awkwardly.

"No." He lied. 

Grian had been out as gay for years now. He had never told his parents, he hadn't spoken or seen his parents for the majority of his adult life. Iskall had been the first person to find out, it had been by accident and, to Grian's surprise, he'd been very accepting and had taken that one step further to defending Grian against people who'd been against it. Thankfully Jevin and Ren were already a couple, they were obviously fine with the entire thing, however, Grian had noticed the distance they kept from each other when they were out in public. Much to Grian's chagrin, not everyone in the year of 1912 were as accepting and understanding as his friend was.

Iskall stepped forward and rested his hand on Grian's shoulder. "Promise me something, Gri." He asked, voice soft. Grian glanced up to his friend and nodded encouragingly. "Be careful." Iskall begged.

"I'll try my best." Grian flashed him a grin.

"That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

"There we are. Stunning." Scar chimed in, appearing beside Grian in the mirror of his cabin. Scar's room was twice the size of the cabins that the lower class shared. It was bathed in expensive wood and the bed was covered with high thread count sheets. The entire room probably costed more than Grian had earned in his life. 

The blond shrugged and smiled at his reflection. He had only ever worn a suit once, and that was when he had stolen his father's work uniform. It had been so large on his slight frame, it practically swallowed him. However, this suit was tailored to someone who had body measurements almost exactly the same as Grian's own. He glanced to Scar sheepishly. "Do you think I actually look good?" He asked. Scar grinned at him and nodded excitedly. 

"You are going to dazzle that young man when he sees you." Scar chimed.

Grian gaped at that, he began his stuttering denials but Scar shushed him instantly. "Come on, Grian. I'm not blind. I see how you look at him. I don't see why anyone would have a problem with it. I mean except the man that interrupted you both." Grian's eyes narrowed, his mind reeling from shock at the words. 

"You... you're okay with it?" Grian asked tentatively, he received a wide smile and frantic nodding from Scar. "Wait... You said something about Cub. You were watching us, weren't you? You didn't just happen to hear us." Grian asked, connecting the dots in his mind. Scar gave a guilty grin and shrugged.

"Maybe." He drawled before glancing away. "Come on, I have to teach you how to handle yourself while at dinner. They're all hungry sharks and will tear you apart as soon as look at you." Scar added, interrupting Grian.

Although this man seemed quirky and rather strange, Grian liked him. He was understanding and patient, if a little nosy. It was nice to have someone on his side for once, the feeling seemed so foreign, but Grian wasn't about to pass it up. He snatched the opportunity with both hands and accepted Scar's offer, he took a seat opposite him and began replicating what Scar was trying to teach him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, guys, it is a little short, but I wanted to devote an entire chapter to the dinner, so keep an eye out for the next one. 
> 
> Also, Scar is one hundred percent a massive Grumbo shipper. (Or he is in my headcanon, at least) :D


	6. Fish Out of Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is another chapter for you all to sink your teeth into. I have finished my most recent story, Careful What You Wish For, so I will have a little more time to focus on this story :D Yay for the updates! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter :D
> 
> *This chapter has the slightest hint to sexism. This is period-typical sexism but that doesn't make it right at all. I wanted to just quickly affirm that I do not hold any of the views mentioned in this story, I added it in because that would be how men talked about women back in 1912.*

The area below the main deck was large and rather cavernous. It seemed surreal to have an entire restaurant and other communal areas dotted about one boat. Mumbo could barely wrap his head around the scale of the ship. Thrumming conversations chimed about him as he waited. Other first-class passengers, all clad in their best suits and dresses walked about him and climbed the stairs that he was waiting beside. 

Someone cleared their throat behind the Mumbo and caught his attention and he glanced to the top of the stairs, his eyes fixed on the figure descending. Grian was dressed in a rather dashing suit, it seemed almost tailored to him. Mumbo's eyes widened at the sight of the handsome smaller man, his golden hair that was usually so unkempt and messy had been combed and presented and for the first time since their first meeting, Mumbo was able to see Grian's eyes without anything covering them. They were a deep blue, it was almost like he was staring into the sea, he was sure that if he stared hard enough, he would drown in their beauty. The man's skin was softly tanned, this was highlighted by the shade of grey in the fabric of the suit. But his hair was Mumbo's favourite part of the smaller man. It was a sun drop, a blessing from the heavens. Mumbo's fingers twitched with the need to run his fingers through the silky locks. 

"You okay Mumbo?" Grian asked, brows furrowed in concern as he met the taller man at the foot of the stairs. Pulled from his thoughts, Mumbo blushed a fluorescent pink, he glanced away, feeling heat flush through his body.

"I err..." He stammered, startled at his own thoughts and anxious at the dangerous trail they lead to. He was engaged to Cub. He had his life planned for him. But that was exactly it, wasn't it? It was planned _for_ him. Mumbo had no say in the path that his life took, he had no choice, no way to climb out of the mess his class and family had plunged him into.

"I know, I clean up pretty good." Grian muttered with a smirk painting his lips. Mumbo blushed brighter and couldn't restrain the nod of his head. Grian's cheeks flushed slightly at that. 

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I have been asked to escort you to the table." A man interrupted the two's silent admiration of each other. Mumbo was the first to break the heated staring and forced a smile at the man. He dipped his head.

"Of course." He muttered and glanced to Grian. "This is Impulse. He is employed by Cub." Mumbo introduced the man to Grian.

The blond gave Impulse a quick once-over, he recognised him from that first night he had met Mumbo, the man was rather muscular, he was well dressed however this man was most definitely not a butler, he was most probably hired muscle. He smiled fleetingly at Impulse, the brunette merely stared blankly back at him, almost as if Grian was made from glass, completely transparent. 

"Pleasure to meet you." The man muttered with no sincerity. Grian silently sighed and dismissed Impulse's words, he had been on the receiving end of this exchange all too often. People who knew his social classing often dismissed him, they were polite, however, that was where their kindness ended. Grian often envisioned himself as nothing more than a rat in the eyes of these kinds of people. Mumbo was different, though. Mumbo saw him. Such an elegant and divine specimen of humanity had seen him, and not just seen his worth or monetary standing, Mumbo had seen Grian for exactly that, Grian.

The two men followed Impulse through to the restaurant, the man nodded to the crew who stood at the doors and they would reach across and open the doors for them, wishing them a good night of hearty food and wine. Mumbo inwardly seethed as he was flung back into the deathtrap that was his life. The room was a sea of people, all sat in their respective groups, some were lifelong friends and others were business partners. At the centre of the room stood a rather large table, where Mumbo's mother was seated along with a dusting of people she'd met on the ship, Cub and a few of the people he had developed some form of fleeting acquaintance with and finally, but most surprisingly, the ship's designer.

"Please take your seats." Impulse hummed quietly, directing the two to sit opposite each other. Mumbo took his place between his mother and Cub, the two bookends that held him in place on the shelf that was his place in the world. An object that was held on display, nothing more. Opposite him, Grian was sandwiched between Scar and the ship's designer. The conversation seemed to dwindle to silence as the two joined the group, a swarm of nosy eyes glanced between them, surveying them. Grian could feel himself being picked apart by those enquiring stares. He felt as if all his life's secrets were forcefully unravelled for everyone at the restaurant to view. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. His racing mind was halted, though, when he felt a soft touch at his ankle. Grian's eyes widened a fraction at the touch and he glanced to Mumbo, who was smiling warmly at him. His eyes communicating more to him than the man had actually spoken. 

"Ah. Our honoured guest for the evening." Cub's voice appeared to be the perfect tone for a gentleman, but hidden just below the surface was the war cry of a dragon. Grian didn't even have to glance over to see the eloquently concealed hatred in the man's eyes. "This is Grian. He is the man who saved my fiance, Mumbo Jumbo." 

Mumbo flushed pink at the sound of his full name, he glanced away and avoided everyone's stares as the crowd erupted into excited gasps and began to gossip. Mumbo startled slightly when he felt Cub take his hand in his own. He glanced to the older man, feeling his skin pale and nausea plaguing his stomach. "Are you going to introduce your little friend to the others, darling?" He asked, his voice slicker than a toad's warty back. 

The raven-haired man huffed in mild disgust before pulling himself together and snatching his hand forcefully from under the touch of Cub's. "Well, this is Grian, everyone." He stated and then gestured to each person who occupied a seat at their table. "This is Scar, he has recently peaked in a business deal with an anonymous partner. Concorp is your business, correct?" He asked and Scar nodded. Mumbo gave a soft smile and moved to the next person. "This is Cleo, she is an expert in animal welfare and is in partnership with our other guest, Stress." He smiled politely at each lady before then moving onto his mother, who sat beside him. He had to bite his tongue to refrain from introducing her as the reincarnation of the wicked witch of the west. Instead, he recited her full title, as the landlady of many upscale houses in London and how she had taken over his father's art dealership in the event of his passing. He then gestured to his fiance. "This is Cub, you both have met, but Cub also is an art dealer, his father founded his company and he is in the process of inheriting said business." He left out the part in which they were to be married for that inheritance to take place. "This is our friend Joe, he is a very successful poet, although I hardly encourage him as we would not be able to leave the table within the week if he were to begin talking." The group erupted into a flurry of chuckles as Mumbo continued listing the other guests and then finally ending on the last man, who occupied the seat to the other side of Grian. "This is Xisuma, he is the designer of the Titanic and I'd like to welcome him to our table." Mumbo muttered finally, reaching to take a swig of his wine as he allowed the other occupants to devolve back into their conversations.

The dinner continued almost exactly like that, sparse conversations shared between people who valued their own worth higher than that of the person that sat beside them, overly salted food and a rather generous helping of wine. That was until Cub chimed in and directed everyone's attention back to Grian. "So, Grian. You are a rather odd duck at the table. I must say, I'm sure this is a breath of fresh air from the _lower class_ accommodations." He emphasised his class status to the table and grinned maliciously at the sound of the chatter that erupted around them. Grian glared at the man before fixing a polite smile to his face. He reached for a drink of his wine, but before he could answer, Xisuma had already fired a question to him.

"I am endlessly curious as to what the lower class cabins have turned out like? In the design phase, I did try my best to reach all of your people's needs. I sincerely hope I was successful."

Grian refrained from commenting about the number of rats that they shared their living space with. "Oh, um... Yes, it is rather nice. There is just enough space for us to move around, which is nice." The upper-class guests all nodded and smiled as they congratulated Xisuma on his brilliant architectural prowess. All the guests seemed satisfied with that answer, all apart from Mumbo.

Grian couldn't help but notice the pained expression that lined Mumbo's face. He wasn't able to decipher if it was a judgement on Grian himself or if it was disgust to the poor treatment of the lower classes. He prayed for it to be the latter. 

"Oh, so what do you do with your time, Mr Grian?" Stress asked.

"Please, just call me Grian." He corrected. "I'm just a traveller. I do odd jobs here and there, making just enough to get by. But with my trusty pal, Iskall, I get to see the world one country at a time."

"That seems rather horrendous." Cub muttered, harsh judgement marring his face. Grian ignored it and instead directed his attention to the other people who stood around the table.

"I really enjoy it, actually. It's nice not having to worry about anything but the pack on my back and where the wind takes me." He sighed wistfully. "It's how I ended up here with you lovely people." He complimented, lying through his teeth. If he were to be honest, the only person he wished to be sharing dinner with was Mumbo himself. His eyes fixed on the other man and he felt his heart stutter. He smiled warmly at the man.

"Ah, quite right. But for now, I suppose the men and myself shall head off to the backroom for a reprieve." Cub announced. He glanced to Mumbo as he stood. "I'm sure you'll be comfortable as always remaining with the women?" He asked. Mumbo was almost ready to explode at his offensive words. Although Mumbo had no time for the majority of the women at the table, that did not mean that they were any less than the men who had shared the meal with them. Mumbo held his tongue and nodded fleetingly, leaning forward and whispering to Grian.

"This is where they go off to their private room to smoke cigars, drink expensive liquor and try to seem intelligent." Grian giggled at that. When the men had departed, Mumbo sighed heavily and smiled at the women who surrounded him. "I think I might escape for a spot of fresh air. Grian?" He glanced to the blond. "Care to join me?" He asked. 

Grian nodded and thanked the ladies for sharing their meal with him and then began following Mumbo from the restaurant. He leant in close to the taller man. "Would you like to see a real party?" He offered. Mumbo's eyes lit up with equal parts excitement and anxiety. He nodded. 

"Lead the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to thank those of you who've been commenting on each chapter of this story so far, honestly, I love reading what you all have to say about my stories, it's lovely to receive feedback. So, if you'd like, I would love to hear what you think about this chapter and if you haven't already, please give kudos if you have liked the story so far :D
> 
> Another chapter is in planning and should be uploaded soon.


	7. Violins and Drums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, here is a new chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy it, I felt the writing took me completely off course today, I had a plan and had devised a plot, that took hours, buuuut... As soon as began writing, it took me in a completely different direction... I hope you all still like it :)
> 
> Sorry that it's a little later than when I usually post my chapter for this story, my laptop suddenly decided it didn't like the keyboard anymore and then ten thousand updates came at once and I just... Well... All I can say is that at least I posted a chapter
> 
> Also, as always, comments and kudos are really appreciated and thank you all for reading this far!!

"Follow me." Grian's voice was low and quiet as he spoke, eyes alight and filled with excitement. Mumbo was almost certain that they were twinkling with his energy, the taller man almost lost himself in those eyes before Grian flashed him a dazzling smile. Mumbo's own mirrored grin spread across his face, Grian clasped Mumbo's hand in his own and intertwined their fingers, the touch of tanned skin against his own paler skin shot tingling waves that skittered up his arm and nestled into his chest, as it exploded into a frazzled supernova and Mumbo suddenly found it rather hard to breathe. He gazed at where their hands connected and he gripped Grian a little tighter. The blond nodded, flashing another smile before tugging Mumbo along the corridor.

The two began their descent into the belly of the ship. Mumbo's eyes were wide, they snaked through areas that the raven-haired man had never ventured to. It was plainly obvious where the two sets of passengers stayed. Deep and polished mahogany, chandeliers and grandeur paintings decorated the rooms and corridors of the upper-class areas, whereas whitewashed walls and the occasional spruce accent was what had been thrown at the lower-class space. They descended a wooden staircase and were hit with a wall of music. 

The two had entered a hall, it was rather similar in size to that of the restaurant that they'd just left, except it seemed to be the bare bones, almost as if the frills and elegance that Mumbo's eyes had been presented with had been stripped away, leaving nothing but an honest presentation. It was a soothing balm to the taller man. He longed to see more spaces like this one. He detested the charade that the upper-class all seemed to swarm towards, like a plague of moths drawn to a candle.

The Irish drum beat a new rhythm for Mumbo's heart to follow. It resonated through the walls and seemed to snake around the entire room, filling each glass with a pint of alcohol and painting joyous smiles on the thrums of people who all gathered in this hall, each bouncing to its rhythm and moving their bodies in sync. Mumbo had never seen such a sight. Yes, he had been invited to many dinner parties that then trailed along to introduce music, but all the dancing had been practised in a dull room until the balls of his feet were red raw with blisters, the music was one of gentle crescendos and accents, a singing violin, the entire brass family moaning together and finally the tinkling voice of the piano.

However, the image that Mumbo had been presented was one of happy chaos. The people were moving in time to the beat of the drum, but their movements were both horrendously uncoordinated and extremely in tune with each other. It was equal parts frazzled and organised. The juxtaposition of the entire scene breathed an air of life into Mumbo's soul and he could hardly keep himself from smiling. 

"Let's dance." Grian yelled in Mumbo's ear, but with the resonance of the music around them and the uplifting laughter that echoed around the room, the blond's voice was rendered nothing but a whisper. Mumbo's eyes widened at the suggestion and he felt his cheeks heat. He had never danced to such music, however, despite himself, he accepted the offer and followed Grian onto the makeshift dancefloor. It was made up of several sturdy tables, all pushed together. 

The crowd around them seemed to dissipate as they circled them, eyes fixed on the well-dressed man in the centre of their gathering. Mumbo's heart trip hammered as he saw the thoughts hidden behind the sour expressions. He was an imposter to this beautiful scene. The world in which he dreamt of being a part of was so disgusted by his presence. In a room filled to the brim with bodies, he felt so alone. 

In the darkness, however, there was one ray of light. That light shone like the sun itself. Grian beamed at him and reached out a hand, smiling encouragingly. Mumbo gave a hesitant whisper of a smile back to him and took the man's hand, pushing his anxieties deep down within himself. With Grian by his side, Mumbo could defeat dragons. 

A violin jumped in time with the Irish drum. It sang in fast quick tunes, a melody strung together like a skipping heart. It spanned and weaved its web around the two men and Grian winked at Mumbo. He pulled away slightly and began to dance. It was as if the music was resonating from within the blond himself. Mumbo was amazed. He was enthralled with the magic that this man held. Grian danced and danced, flicking his feet and scuffing his shoes against the ground, becoming his own drum. It was amazing. When Grian stopped, he lifted his brow in challenge to Mumbo and a smirk stretched across his lips. Challenge accepted.

With the second wave of the violin's singing, Mumbo replicated Grian's movements, his shoes clicked and slid across the floor, harmonising and paving a path for Mumbo to dance. Grian's eyes widened at the performance, his challenging smirk being replaced by a genuine smile of awe. The two then began to jig together, their dancing mixed and matched with each other as they span circles and tapped their shoes. Mumbo laughed the entire time, a wide smile pulled taught across his face. Within moments, the very same crowd who had damned Mumbo to his life of pompous frills and bowties had now encased him in their groups as the people began to dance with them, their beats mixing in with their own. They were one. Each person, from the young children to the old-timers and finally Mumbo and Grian, they all danced together.

Grian reached for Mumbo's hands and began spinning them. With each turn, they picked up speed, like a spinning top that skittered across the floor. Mumbo let out a howl of excitement, screeching as they flew, their feet barely touching the ground. A soft sheen of sweat clung to Mumbo's brow as the heat in the room rose, he fell into Grian and could barely stop the roles of excited giggles peel out of him. His heart sung, it was brighter than it had ever been. Grian reached behind himself and presented two pints of alcohol, that Mumbo presumed was Guinness. They both gulped at their drinks and stepped down from the dance floor, allowing themselves to slip into a dark corner, away from the other overheated bodies. "Do you want to get out of here?" Grian asked, his previously well-combed blond hair now a messy mop. Mumbo, still panting from their recent dancing nodded and followed Grian out of the hall, they snaked through the writhing bodies and climbed the stairs. 

The cool chill of the night wrapped around Mumbo's body and breathed a sigh of relief as his temperature dropped from the sweltering heat and to a comfortable warmth. He grinned widely as he remembered what they'd just done, he rounded on Grian and bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "I have never had such fun!" He exclaimed prancing beside Grian, the shorter man merely chuckled.

"Your dancing was very surprising, I never knew such a delicate man could move like that." Mumbo glanced at Grian, furrowing his brow.

"I'm not delicate." He corrected. Grian giggled and nodded.

"No, of course not."

Mumbo grinned at that before turning and watching the black tarry sky, his eyes fixed on the sea. The moon and stars shimmered along its surface, a gentle dotted language that rippled and dance, just as Grian and Mumbo had done only seconds ago. "I have never experienced anything quite like tonight."

"Really?" Grian asked. Mumbo hummed in reply.

"It was amazing. Beautiful, even."

"You are." At that Mumbo glanced at the blond and blushed. Even in the dead of night, his reddened cheeks were plainly obvious. 

"Why, Grian?"

At the question, the blond furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Why me? Why are you spending time with me?" Mumbo asked.

"Because I want to." He replied, voice still muffled with his puzzlement. "Why do you ask?"

Mumbo huffed a sigh and fixed his eyes on his hands, he leant against the railing and fiddled with his fingers as he thought of how to respond. "I... No one has ever seen me. I mean, yes, they see who I am and what I am, but that's it. They see pound signs and gold bars. But you, you don't look at me like that." Mumbo muttered, his heart clenching, screaming at him not to continue with his words. But Mumbo pushed through. He wasn't sure if it was the liquid courage from earlier or if it was from the excitement of the night. Either way, he continued to speak. "You see me for what I am. I'm nothing but Mumbo to you."

At the raven-haired man's words, Grian reached out and let his hand curl around Mumbo's, the taller man glanced at Grian and the blond smiled. "I can't not see you. You're this radiant light." Mumbo chuckled.

"How could you think such a thing, you're just a bright and joyous as the sun itself." At his admission, Mumbo blushed brightly and glanced away. Grian grinned and reached up to gently touch Mumbo's chin.

"If I'm the sun, then you are the moon." He breathed. "Can I..." It was Grian's turn to blush. "I once heard a sailor sing this song, and from the moment I saw you, I could barely keep the words from my mind. Can I sing it for you?" Mumbo nodded in encouragement. Grian leant against the railings, his face falling from his grin and to a more sombre expression as soft resonating tones erupted from his chest. Mumbo was enraptured by the sounds as the man began to sing. Grian sang quietly so as not to arouse any attention from the other people who roamed the upper decks of the ship. He leant into Mumbo, his lips were so close to the man's ear, it was so intimate, his breath so warm against his skin, a thrilling contrast to the cool night air. His voice was so alive in Mumbo's ear and all he could think were that the man's harmonious voice was singing the words just for him, and the song seemed to make it true.

" _Black is the colour of my true love's hair.  
__His lips are like some roses fair.  
He has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands,  
I love the ground whereon he stands. _

Grian's voice was so melodious, and somehow, in the dark, they were more so. Perhaps it was the ocean beneath their feet, or the pitch sky that created a richer canvas to experience the sound, or maybe it was because Mumbo could feel every nuance of Grian's breath, every inhale and every exhale of heat as he sang each note. Holding it and shaping it with his voice, just so Mumbo could feel the words as well as hear them.

_"I love my love and well he knows.  
I _ _love the ground whereon he goes.  
I wish the day it soon would come,  
When he and I could be as one.  
_

Grian was stood so close to Mumbo that he could feel the vibrations of the other's voice through his chest. It was the most intimate experience Mumbo had ever had with anyone. It was as if a piece of Grian had lodged itself into his heart. There was a sweetness, an emotional thrum to the notes that spoke louder than any declaration Mumbo had ever heard pronounced from any lover's lips. He knew the song was for him and no one else. As he listened to the words, he realised that Grian was truly singing to him. 

_"I go to the Clyde and I mourn and weep.  
Satisfied I never can be.  
I write him a letter, just a few short lines,  
And suffer death ten thousand times."_

The song was simple, but Grian infused it with a sorrow that tugged delicately on Mumbo's heart. Mumbo felt as he had done earlier in the night, the sounds were breathing an air of light into his soul, except this time it was just Grian, only Grian. The blond's warm voice touched him with a physical presence.

_Black is the colour of my true love's hair.  
__His lips are like some roses fair.  
He has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands,  
I love the ground whereon he stands_.  
...   
_I love the ground whereon he stands_."

The last note hung in the air and left Mumbo's heart beating a rapid tattoo on the wall of his chest. He glanced and watched as heat filled Grian's cheeks. He could barely hold the gasp that escaped his lungs as the two watched each other silently. Mumbo had no words, he wanted to show Grian how much he'd loved every word, how much he needed Grian's voice to sing to him every night. He needed Grian with him every second. 

"It's getting late," Grian muttered, his eyes cast out into the sea. "I can walk you to your cabin, if you'd like?" The blond asked. Mumbo nodded, still silent and allowed the shorter man to lead the way back into the depths of the ship. The two stopped outside the door to the room Mumbo and his mother shared. His eyes watched Grian for a moment and he glanced down to the other's lips. He needed to feel them, to taste them, but before he could inch closer the blond spoke.

"Thank you for tonight."

Mumbo could barely utter a word, he nodded dumbly and gave a shy smile. "No, Grian, thank you." 

Grian grinned. "I suppose I'll see you in the morning?" He reached a hand and held Mumbo's arm, his touch delicate and warm, so soft but an air of comfort overtook Mumbo's body. He nodded in response. 

"I hope so." He whispered and as those words escaped Mumbo's lips, Grian took Mumbo's hand in his own and gently brushed his lips against the skin there. The soft featherlike caress made Mumbo's chest ache, he gasped at the soft touch, but almost as soon as he felt it, Grian had dropped his hand and was slowly walking away. Mumbo watched him until the other man had climbed the stairs and had left his field of view. Tonight was a night that Mumbo would never be able to forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that I used for this is one of my favourites. I'm a massive fan of sailor shanties and I just... It's nothing like the actual movie, but like I said before, this chapter completely ran away with me and I just couldn't not add it.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTn75pYJWe0
> 
> Once again, I swear I keep repeating myself >.> but I really love reading your comments, so if you loved it, hated it or feel like it could be improved, then I’d love to hear what you’ve got to say :D thank you all so much for reading!


	8. Your Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I finally updated this story! I'm so sorry that this update has come so late, I was just really struggling with how to follow on from the last chapter, but I think I've got it :D 
> 
> Trigger warning: There is a scene of violence in this chapter, if you have suffered domestic violence or could be triggered by the description of it, then please steer clear of that part. I have added an asterisk (*) at the start of the violence and at the end, so if this could upset you, please skip it :D
> 
> Finally, I hope you enjoy!

The ship groaned and sighed as it gently swayed in the arms of the water that carried it. Mumbo's brow furrowed against the bright light of the sun that filtered through the curtains of his cabin. The Egyptian cotton sheets were soft against his body, warmth and happiness buzzed through his heart and painted a contented smile on the raven-haired man's face as he snuggled deeper into the soft cushions.

"Mumbo Jumbo!" The shrill squawk of his mother pierced the delicate air that surrounded Mumbo and he all but jumped a metre off the bed in fright. His eyes flicked open and he glared at his mother, eyes searing with cooped up rage. "Get up, now." She growled at him, her form looming over the bed, it was as if the devil himself had come to whisk Mumbo away from his happiness. At the tone of her voice, the anger was replaced by fear. Why was she so upset? What had happened? Is Grian alright? Grian.

He watched as the woman's face morphed into a sick satisfaction as she watched his expression of fear resonate from him. "Cub and I will be waiting in the breakfast area. We expect you to be there within the minute." She crowed before turning on her heel and marching herself from his room, her nose turned up at him as if she was disgusted to have any form of familial relation with him. 

Confusion clouded Mumbo, his eyes locked on where his mother had gone. His mind was reeling with thoughts and theories as to why she seemed so out of sorts. Had he been spotted with Grian? Had they somehow found out about his feelings? Mumbo himself had only recently come to any sort of realisation of what he felt about the blond man, it seemed entirely unfair that any form of future would be torn from him.

Anxiety gripped at his throat, almost suffocating him. His limbs vibrated with fear of what was to come, as he pulled on his clothes. Before he left, Mumbo frantically brushed his hair into place, his eyes made contact with his reflection. "You fool." He muttered to himself scathingly. "You're an imbecile. How could you let Grian down like this? He treated you so well last night and you go and throw him to the wolves? Disgusting." The voice in his head was relentless. Mumbo felt a pocket of darkness swallow his soul, his innards felt tarry and black. Eyes downcast, he left his cabin and made his way to the breakfast area.

* * *

The breakfast area was decorated beautifully, alabaster railings surrounded this deck and small tables littered the floor with chairs huddling around them. The air was tinted with the soft perfume of the flowers that stood in their pots on each tabletop and hung in baskets from the ceiling. Mumbo wished he could set it all alight, burn the thing down. How could something so beautiful exist when he was about to have the only thing that he cared about ripped away from him. 

His green eyes scanned the area until they landed on Cub and his mother, both sat at the same table, in the far corner of the deck. Cub donned a white suit, his beard combed neatly and his bald head reflected the sun, this was the facade to a demon, a putrid cruel demon, the true face of the man that no one could see but Mumbo. He was engaged to this creature, trapped by his side for all eternity. Dread washed over him as his eyes then flicked to his mother's face. Her lips were pursed in irritation, she appeared reminiscent to someone who'd sucked on a lemon. 

"Good morning, darling." Cub smiled warmly at Mumbo, although his voice was filled with adoration and love, his eyes flashed dangerously. They uttered something different, their words of warning and anger filtered through the small gap between them. 

"No. I don't think it's a good morning at all." His mother's insufferable voice cut through. "Take a seat, Mumbo."

The taller man did as he was told and couldn't escape the feeling of being sat before the headmaster, preparing to be lectured before ultimately getting the cane. He glanced between the two people. "May I ask, what's the matter? Mother appears to be rather upset." Mumbo stated, forcing a mask of calm to hide his bone-shaking fear. He reached for the teacup and added milk to it before delicately taking the china between his fingers and sipping the beverage. He glanced at his mother, who's face had turned a rather impressive shade of puce.

"Oh, most certainly, you may." His mother snapped, eyes alight with unkempt rage. "We heard word of your illicit activities last night." His mother sniped. "How could you do that? To your fiance?" His mother reached out a hand and pressed her palm to Cub's elbow. "After everything, this man does for you? You go and..." She cut herself off, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbing her eyes that had welled up with frustrated tears. "I cannot even stand to talk about the matter. I think I better go and lay down." She muttered before turning to Cub. "I hope you can forgive my son. I'm sure he'll treat you better and learn from his mistakes."

Cub smiled warmly up to Mumbo's mother, he nodded. "Of course, Ruth. Why don't you just go and relax? Mumbo and I will be fine." His voice was sickeningly sweet, Mumbo's teeth ached from how fake it was. He inwardly seethed at the interaction, his chest burning with the urge to scream. His mother nodded to Cub, she trained her gaze back to Mumbo, her eyes harsh once again. "Behave." She hissed before whisking herself away from the breakfast area. 

Silence fell upon the pair as they were left alone. Mumbo continued to quietly sip his tea, facing innocence, his eyes trained to a crumb on the table, he watched it avidly, trying his best to ignore the holes that Cub was burning in the side of his head as the man glared. "Mumbo. Why did you do that?" Cub asked.

"Do what? I don't think I know what you are referencing." Mumbo replied, letting his eyes flick to Cub's face. The man clenched his jaw at Mumbo's nonchalance.

"Last night. With that peasant, Grayon." He spat the name as if it was a foul taste in his mouth. Mumbo watched Cub closely, his chest tightening with irritation at the mispronounced name. How dare he talk about Grian? A horrid man such as Cub should never be allowed to utter Grian's name, not even as a reference. How dare he?

"Grian." Mumbo corrected, his voice hard, he watched as Cub's lip twitched.

"Whatever his name is. He's not good for you, I forbid it." He snapped. 

That was it. Whatever thread had been holding Mumbo's composure together, it broke right then. Mumbo scowled at the man, his glare hot and fiery. "You have no power over me, Cub. I can associate with whomever I want."

***

The cup that was held so delicately between Mumbo's fingers was slapped out of his grip, it shattered to the floor, spilling its contents across the hardwood. A strong hand wound it's way around Mumbo's neck, cutting off his windpipe. Mumbo tried to gasp, but couldn't, instead, he gurgled uselessly, his hands scrabbling at the grip that Cub had on his throat. "You. Insolent. Pathetic. Excuse. For. A. Man." Cub roared, his free hand slapped across Mumbo's face hard. Cub's hands were very broad and they collided with Mumbo's skin like paddles. His cheek flared with pain as fire was lit on his skin. The raven-haired man struggled and whimpered with each hit, his eyes pricking with tears as Cub continued to slap him. 

"Please." Mumbo whined breathlessly. "Please stop!" He begged. But Cub was powered purely by rage as he continued to hit Mumbo. His face was contorted into something dark and putrid. Mumbo trembled in pain and fear as his cheek took the brunt force of Cub's hand and his heart shrivelled at the looming presence that Cub presented. 

As the fifth slap landed on Mumbo's cheek, the older man flung him to the side. Mumbo yelped as he collided with the ground, the table toppling over and slamming against his hip, the china cups shattering in a sad imitation of confetti. "Look what you made me do." Cub growled. He leant over and clasped a handful of Mumbo's hair in his hand, pulling the man's head back so he could whisper directly into his ear. Mumbo shrieked at the pain and struggled against it. 

"You will not see Grian again and that's final." Cub snarled before letting go of Mumbo, the younger man's head slammed against the deck as Cub stomped away.

***

Tears cascaded down Mumbo's cheeks as he quietly sobbed against the deck. "Sir, are you okay?" Zedaph's voice broke through Mumbo's pain-filled haze as the blond knelt beside him, hands pawing at Mumbo's clothes, trying to help him stand. Mumbo let him and when he was balanced on shaky limbs, he glanced down to the young butler, who had already sunk back to the floor, plucking up the shards of pottery. "Don't worry, Zedaph." He muttered weakly, "I'll do it."

"With all due respect, sir, you're in no shape to be scuffling around on the floor." Zedaph answered, as he stared pointedly to Mumbo's face. The taller man's eyes narrowed at that and he moved to the ornate mirror that hung from the wall. His face was beet red and tear-stained, his cheek was bruised and looked very obviously sore and he was sporting a rather impressive cut that sliced through his brow. Mumbo glared at the reflection of himself. His mother had decided his fate, the rest of his life to be spent with a man he didn't love. Cub had decided his future, to be separated from the one person whom he desperately wanted to be with. That was their decisions. Mumbo's jaw clenched in resolution. That may have been their choice, but he had a voice too, and by God was he going to voice it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So I have ideas for the coming chapters, this story my be slower in the updates than my last one, but it is still being updated, so keep checking back :D 
> 
> Also, as always, your comments and kudos are very much appreciated, they keep the fires of creativity lit in my mind :D


	9. Maid On The Shore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are with another chapter, I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope you all love it as much as I do, I'm sticking alongside the Titanic story line, but adding my own tweaks and quirks to it :D

The sun hung low in the sky above the ship, as it bobbed and sailed across the ocean, the waved lapping gently at the belly. Mumbo's thoughts were racing, as he walked slowly across the lower class deck, his eyes flicking from one face and to the other, searching for his blond man. He'd walked through the lower class restaurant and had checked all the decks he knew of, he'd even caught one of Grian's friends and had asked if Iskall had seen the shorter man. Unfortunately, the mystery continued. 

Mumbo's mind flashed back to that first night, the overwhelming feelings of confinement, Grian had helped him then, had been there to catch him, even though Mumbo was almost certain that he had ended up on the other side of those railings on purpose. Even if he hadn't known then, something had driven him to the precipice. Someone, in particular, had sapped all the will and drive from Mumbo's life. His bruised and aching face was now a stark reminder as to who that had been, Cub's face stood stark in his memories, a trembling fear erupted through Mumbo's belly before he shook the thoughts from his mind. He was searching for Grian, not dwelling on devils. 

He slowly made his way from the bow of the ship and to the stern. That's where he had met Grian, the stern. Strong propellers that drove the ship forward, icy winds and cool metal that stung his palms. Those memories were seared into Mumbo's mind, however, soft blue eyes, a gentle touch and the sweetest of laughs also lived there. If he couldn't find Grian, then he would venture to the next best option. As Mumbo walked through the ship and across the decks, the hardwood creaking under each of his steps, the stern of the ship came into view. The white railings that lined the perimeter of the ship, travelled from Mumbo's side and climaxed at the stern. Mumbo walked forward, and as he did, a small figure came into view. In the wake of the low sun, he could spot a bright red oversized jumper, soft blond cuts flicking in the breeze and a hunched figure leant against the metal bars. Grian. Mumbo's pace picked up as he walked towards the man, his heart fluttering in his chest. As he approached, he could hear the soft singing of a man deep in thought. He stopped for a moment to listen.

_There is a young maiden, she lives all a-lone_   
_She lived all a-lone on the shore-o_   
_There's nothing she can find to comfort her mind_   
_But to roam all a-lone on the shore, shore, shore_   
_But to roam all a-lone on the shore_

Although Grian's singing was soft and gentle, the calm winds made that glittering voice drift so effortlessly back to where Mumbo was stood, stock still, his heart in his mouth, his throat so tight with longing it was as if someone had gripped his throat, halting all his attempts at breathing.

_'Twas of the young Captain who sailed the salt sea_   
_Let the wind blow high, blow low_   
_I will die, I will die, the young Captain did cry_   
_If I don't have that maid on the shore, shore, shore ..._

That voice was almost as good as seeing Grian's smile light up his sunny face, or his tinkling laughter that bathed Mumbo in sweet feelings of tranquillity. Mumbo basked in the treat, listening to that lovely voice singing, carried to him on the evening breeze. As was usual with Grian's singing, there was so much feeling encased with every word, bursting in Mumbo's mind like supernovas. It was such a simple song, but with Grian's emotions trapped in every note, it transformed from a silly song and into one filled with nuance and depth.

_I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold_   
_I have lots of costly ware-o_   
_I'll divide, I'll divide, with my jolly ship's crew_   
_If they row me that maid on the shore, shore, shore ..._

Mumbo could see the riches that Grian sang about, he could feel the coins slipping through his fingers, could smell the metallic twang of the silver and gold. He could feel the captain's need for the maid, it was as if Mumbo was but a fly settled on the wall of the cabin as he watched the scene play out before him, lulled into the moment by Grian's sweet singing.

_After much persuasion, they got her aboard_   
_Let the wind blow high, blow low_   
_They replaced her away in his cabin below_   
_Here's adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care ..._

The gentle sadness that leaked its way into the song lyrics filtered through Mumbo's heart, he could sympathise with that maid, he could feel her distress at her situation. He could see her, trapped in the cabin by a man who craved to possess her. There was no love, no feeling in his motives, only ownership. Cubs face flashed through Mumbo's mind once more and the wounds on his face stung all the more brighter.

_They replaced her away in his cabin below_   
_Let the wind blow high, blow low_   
_She's so pretty and neat, she's so sweet and complete_   
_She's sung Captain and sailors to sleep, sleep, sleep ..._

The woman's voice in the song resonated with each note in Grian's voice, he could see it, could hear it, her distant song was a war cry, was her power and gift as she lulled the crew into her bosom, Mumbo's heart jumped into his throat as he listened, Grian's effortless tones slinking through the air and reached his ears, tinkling their magic into his soul, filling his mind with the soft images. 

_Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold_   
_She robbed him of costly ware-o_   
_Then took his broadsword instead of an oar_   
_And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore ..._

The range in Grian's voice was all the more powerful for Mumbo as he couldn't see the man's face as he sang, he could only hear him and still, he could make out that soft mischievous lilt, he could almost hear the quirk of his lips as he smirked, Mumbo was certain he could see that same smirk playfully woven into the woman's expression.

_Me men must be crazy, me men must be mad_   
_Me men must be deep in despair-o_   
_For to let you away from my cabin so gay_   
_And to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore ..._

The captain's rage at her actions flared through the notes that escaped Grian's throat, each word sang with purpose. Mumbo felt his knees tremble with the power of the song. He could barely help himself as he was carried away on this journey, the journey of the woman, it was then that realisation dawned on him, like a hammer to a nail, Mumbo realised that the song wasn't about a woman and the captain, it was a tale of his own, a depiction of what his own life held. Mumbo knew that Grian was singing for him, maybe not to him, but he could see his own face and struggles flashing brightly in the forefront of Grian's mind.

_Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad_   
_Your men was not deep in despair-o_   
_I deluded your sailors as well as yourself_   
_I'm a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore ..._

As much as the song was filled with playfulness and levity, there was an equal amount of melancholy - no, it wasn't as simple as that - the skill that Grian possessed, the sincerity, the depth and feeling in his eyes as he pressed soft kisses to Mumbo's hand, the respect and restraint that thrummed through every movement in the blond's body. The maiden was strong and powerful. That thought resonated through Mumbo's soul, that was how Grian saw him. A blush sprinkled it's pink hues across Mumbo's cheekbones as he accepted that realisation. Grian's singing slowly came to a moaning end and Mumbo was released from his trance, he was back on the ship. His face still ruddy and bruised, the creaking hardwood, the horrors and decay that hid itself in every crack between Mumbo and Cub, the lacy hold that his mother had on his future. It was all there, all swamping him and flooding him with its compact form. His eyes flared with that power the maid had in the song. He was not about to bow down to the people in his life. Mumbo knew then, he'd made his choice. 

Mumbo stepped forward and winced at the creak of the floorboard below him, it startled Grian from his thoughts and the blond's shoulders twitched before he turned to face Mumbo. He hadn't been expecting to see him, Mumbo could see that in the soft slightly sluggish movements of his body. When Grian's eyes fell on the raven-haired man, his face brightened, that sun that powered his every movement shone brighter. Howling for his moon. Mumbo was all too happy to reunite the two. "Hello there." Grian muttered before his eyes narrowed, seeing the clues and evidence of Cub's hand. Mumbo watched as Grian's brows furrowed, his lips thinned with rage as he surged forward, hands lifting to gently cup Mumbo's face as he inspected each injury. 

His fingers lightly traced over the bruises and cuts that lined Mumbo's face, wicking away all the pain that Cub had left there and replaced it with love infused strokes. Mumbo shivered like a petal in the wind as he sank deep into the loving touches. "What happened?" Grian's voice was soft and filled with pain. Mumbo shook his head.

"It's nothing." He answered, but Grian was not satisfied with that, his brow tightened and his resolve thickened.

"Mumbo, this isn't nothing, someone did this to you. What happened?" He asked again more urgently. Mumbo couldn't deny Grian anything. That strong urgency in the man's voice could have picked apart anything Mumbo tried to hide, and the thing that shocked Mumbo the most was that he hardly wanted to stop him from seeing, anything that Grian wanted to know, Mumbo was more than happy to provide. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he fixed is eyes on the ground, ashamed of what he had let happen.

"Cub found out about us, he..." He paused as his throat tightened around his words. "He wasn't very happy, he was quite mad and well, I shouldn't have been so stupid, it was my fault. I'm sorry Grian, I shouldn't have let him see us." He whimpered. 

Grian's eyes both softened and flared with rage, Mumbo could feel the fires licking at his wounds and engulfing him. "Mumbo, this isn't your fault." Grian urged before glancing behind him, to Cub, the man wasn't there, but he may well have been with the way that Grian was glaring. "I'll kill him." He growled. Mumbo knew that he would, he knew that Grian would have done such a thing, but for what? He could never let Grian do that to himself, of course, Cub was no match for Grian and he would never defend the wretched man, but he could never allow Grian to carry out an act so sinister, not his loving and gentle blond. He could never allow that. Mumbo shook his head and smiled tearfully at the smaller man.

"Don't do that, Grian. He's not worth your efforts." He told him, Grian was about to argue, but Mumbo beat him to it. "I learned something from this, though. My mother and Cub are trying to control my life, they see a path that best suits them and are quite happy to prod and poke me to fit it, to help their own selfish needs. Neither of them cared about my own thoughts and wants." Mumbo muttered. Grian glanced between Mumbo's eyes as he listened. 

"And what do you want, Mumbo?" He asked. It was the first time Mumbo had ever heard that sentence, it drove the power in his chest forward, he knew then, exactly what he wanted. 

"I want you. I want to be free of all this, I want to be with you." He told him honestly. Grian's eyes widened slightly as a soft smile stretched at his lips from Mumbo's words, he nodded and without much pause stretched up, pressing their lips together softly. Mumbo's eyes slipped closed as he allowed himself to be lost to that gentle touch. It was so sweet and delicate, so gentle. Mumbo knew this was right, knew this was what was meant to be, classes and status be damned. 

When Grian pulled away, Mumbo was almost sad at the loss, except the man's eyes were bright and excited, just the sight of that was enough to drive away all the sorrow from Mumbo's soul. "Come here, I have something to show you." He told him. Mumbo nodded and allowed himself to be lead to the stern of the ship. Grian guided him in front and instructed him to step onto the railings. Anxiety flooded through the taller man and he glanced back to Grian nervously, but the sight that he was met with, the love and passion that greeted him swept away all his anxieties, Mumbo trusted him. He stepped onto the railing and leant back against that strong body behind him, the firm chest that met his back supported him, lifted him to the top of the world. "Now yell, Mumbo, let it all out. You're free." Grian's lips moved directly next to Mumbo's ear, as he spoke. Mumbo clenched his eyes shut and opened his heart, all the frustrations, anger and fear left through his mouth, he screamed like a banshee, sang like a siren. He felt Grian lift his arms up and out, spread like wings ready to fly. 

"We're the kings of the world!" Grian howled behind him. Together they were one, and together they would conquer all the demons that plagued their lives. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the song that was used in this chapter is The Maid On The Shore, I personally love the version that was sang by Stan Rogers:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YRcZpnaxqI
> 
> If you all liked it, then please leave kudos and a comment of your thoughts :D I love reading through them :D another update is still in the planning stage, but it's going to be posted soon :D thank you all for reading this far :D


	10. Two and One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm sorry you were all waiting so long for this chapter. I've been trying to wrap up my songfic series. But now that it's all done, my focus is back on this story :D We are coming to the end, which is very exciting :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

"I have always loved you, Mumbo." Cub's voice cut through Mumbo's memories, images of he and Grian laughing at the stern of the ship, the sun their target, as they flew away, dancing along the deck of the boat, the darkening ocean lapping its beat to their silent tune. Mumbo blinked away the haze of the joyous thoughts and fixed his gaze back to the older man before him. His lips tightening in a grimace. If Cub had always loved him, he had a strange and violent way of showing it, his cheek thrummed with the aching pain from the last encounter he had had with his fiance.

Cub closed the distance between them, cradling a black silk box in his fingers. "I bought this for you, back in England. I was going to give it to you when we arrived in America." He mused, gazing affectionately to the silken container. "But, I've decided that I can't wait." He stated and his gaze flicked back to the raven-haired man. "I want to give it to you now." He muttered, lifting the lid and presenting the contents to Mumbo.

His green eyes fell onto the gift, pure silver wrapped elegantly into a chain, blue crystals shone brightly from their casings. "Oh my..." Mumbo gasped, his fingers rubbed against the necklace. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Cub grinned and joined Mumbo in staring at the dazzling jewels. "You see, this is what I can give you." Cub hummed as he plucked it from its case, he stepped behind Mumbo, gazing at the moustached man's reflection. "This is the wealth I can bestow on you." He grinned as he delicately fastened the chain around Mumbo's neck. 

It was a collar. A shackle, holding him captive to the life he didn't want. Mumbo glared heatedly at the thing. Its beauty was nothing more than a mask, a shiny lie that hid it's sharp teeth, awaiting the perfect moment to slaughter the innocent. Mumbo shivered at the cruelty of the thing. He glanced up to the mirror once more, eyes locking with the hungry gaze that Cub trained upon him. "Do you like it?" The man asked, his eyes scathing, flashing dangerously, daring him to tell the truth. Mumbo shivered, fear trembled through his muscles, he wanted to shrink away, hide from the monster that was Cub. He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, wordlessly, the lie a stark reminder of the truth.

"Good." Cub nodded, "I hope to see you wear it for dinner, tonight." He muttered. Mumbo blushed, when Grian and he had parted ways, atop the deck, they had made plans to meet, to see each other and escape from the watchful eyes about them. Mumbo had wanted to see the blond again, so he had suggested that they meet when his mother and Cub had met for the evening meal. He knew it was risky, but he had his plan worked out. He nodded to the older man.

"Of course." He muttered quietly, silently begging to be left alone, for the monster, the predator to leave him be. He felt as if he were an antelope, a small deer trapped unto the watchful gaze of a lion, it's furry face scarred and beaten from battle, its mane tattered. Cub smirked and nodded.

"Good, I look forward to it." His words curdled and stung at Mumbo's soul, their hidden trauma but a knife to his skin as it slit through tendons and nerves. Mumbo gave a shaky incline of his head.

"I'd like to rest now." He almost whimpered. Cub's eyes narrowed on the man, he leant forward and pressed a kiss to Mumbo's cheek, his lips slimy and wet. Mumbo shivered at the feel and forced himself not to pull away in revulsion. Cub chuckled at that before he pulled away.

"I shall see you at dinner, then." He drawled before slipping from Mumbo's cabin, leaving the dark void in the room. Mumbo released the breath he had been holding and swiped away the tears that had stung his eyes, he soothed his frightened heart and let himself flop back onto the bed, curling in on himself and pulling his knees to his chest. He was safe. The man was gone. Cub was gone. 

* * *

~~~ A Few Hours Later ~~~

* * *

Mumbo awoke to the soft tapping of knuckles against hardwood. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and pushing himself from the mattress. The sickening fear that had plagued him before his sleep returned as he glanced to the door anxiously. He prayed that it was Grian. But for all he knew, he could have slept through Grian's knocking, he could have slept through the time they had planned together and it was now Cub, it could have been his torturous fiance at the door, begging his entrance to punish him once more. Mumbo's throat clenched as he padded to the door, he pulled against the handle and peered through the gap. 

Relief washed over the taller man, as bright blue eyes stared back at him. Grian stood outside the room, his dazzling smile washed away Mumbo's fears, those eyes narrowed on his face and Grian's brow furrowed. "Mumbo, have you been crying?" He asked, a gasp entering his words as he reached a hand out to wipe at the stains on his cheeks. Mumbo leant into the gentle touch and hummed softly, Grian's warmth was such a stark contrast to Cub's icy stabs. He smiled softly and shook his head, dismissing Grian's question.

"I... Cub was here earlier." He answered simply. 

Grian's lips tightened to a thin line as his shoulders bunched, muscles knotting in rage. "Did he touch you?" He growled. Mumbo's eyes widened at the sudden change in the man. His Grian, his gentle and kind Grian had been replaced with a dragon. Mumbo shook his head silently.

"No, he gave me a gift and told me to meet him at dinner." He explained, gesturing to the heavy chain around his neck. Grian's eyes flicked to the jewellery, his tightness in his body softened and released, as a different tension took its place. Grian stared longingly at the necklace, his heart cavernous and aching. He wished he could bestow gifts upon Mumbo, but he barely had a penny to his name. 

"Mumbo... I..." As Grian began to speak, Mumbo interrupted and invited him into the cabin. The blond smiled weakly and stepped into the confines of the room, rounding on the taller man, eyes filled with emotion. Mumbo gasped at the intensity he saw there, encased in that electric blue. "Mumbo, I can't give you things like that. I can't give you gifts of such wealth. I don't have anything." Grian muttered, a sorrow entered his words, plaguing them with his honesty. Mumbo smiled comfortingly and raised a hand, cupping Grian's cheek.

"You have enough for me." Mumbo told him. The blond's eyes widened and focused on him, delving deep into the man. Mumbo was sure that in that moment, Grian could see all his flaws, all his truths and all his insecurities. He couldn't hide a thing from the man. He blushed and withered in the wake of the hungry stare that Grian trained upon him, the heat of his gaze warmed his skin, sending tingling tremors through his nerves as his eyes roved across Mumbo's body.

The two remained like that for what seemed like hours, eyes connected, bodies thrumming. Grian grinned devilishly and leant closer to Mumbo, his lips brushed against the shell of the man's ear. "Can I kiss you?" He asked. His lips tickled the skin there, his breath warm and hot, Mumbo shivered as sparks lit through his body. He nodded.

"Yes."

Grian grinned and leant closer, capturing Mumbo's lips in a searing kiss. Locked together, their lips moved against each other. Dazzling and sensitive. Mumbo whimpered into that touch, hungry for more, he felt Grian's tongue trace against the seam of his lips and he opened his mouth, inviting the man inside, desperate to get a taste of his golden light. Grian growled and pulled away. "God, you're gorgeous." He huffed, eyes blown wide with arousal. Mumbo was sure he was trembling. Grian grinned and pecked his lips once more, unable to get enough of the taller man's taste. "Can I touch you." He asked quietly, breath washing over Mumbo's lips. The raven-haired man nodded shakily. 

"Where?" His voice broke on the word. Grian chuckled huskily, his fingers hovered over the buttons to Mumbo's shirt. 

"Everywhere." He replied, waiting for his answer. Mumbo whimpered then, he nodded once more, needing to feel Grian's fingers on his body. He needed to be touched, needed to feel the man against him. Anxiety flooded Mumbo's belly, a thousand thoughts flashed through his mind. What if Grian found his ignorance and lack of experience childish and unappealing? What if Grian found him to be hideous without his clothes on, what if...

Grian must have sensed his anxieties, because he spoke gently to the taller man, his voice cutting through the panic in Mumbo's chest. "Would you like to lay down on the bed?" He asked. Mumbo was suddenly stricken with a conflict, he wanted to continue this sensual venture with Grian, but if he did then he would be leaping into the unknown. He had a desire, an insatiable need to feel and catalogue ever inch of Grian, but he was distraught of the fact that if he did, he would be giving himself up to the man, he'd become more vulnerable than he had ever been before. 

"It's alright if you'd rather not, but..." Grian's hand reached out for his own and Mumbo gasped at the soft brush of Grian's fingers against his own. "I'd like you to be comfortable, I don't want you to feel forced."

"I... I don't know what..." Mumbo whimpered, his mind reeling, he knew how a man and woman may make love, he had read about it in books, but he hadn't a clue how such desires of love could be shown between two men. He wanted this, of course, he did, but he hadn't the faintest idea as to what he should do. "I want to, but I've never..." His voice trailed off once more, he felt heat flash through his cheeks at his admittance. Grian grinned softly to him, soothingly and nodded. He gently guided the other man to the bed and pushed him to sit.

"That's alright love. I'll guide you through it, I'll start slow." He muttered, Mumbo's cheeks burned with his blush and he covered face with his hands. Grian chuckled softly, "Please don't do that, love, I want to see you. I want to see the colour rising to your cheeks as I kiss you here..." He lifted the fabric at Mumbo's wrist as he pressed a kiss to the delicate skin. "And here..." He stretched up and pressed a kiss to Mumbo's jaw. "And here." He let his lips brush featherweight at the skin just below Mumbo's ear and his gasp of breath was as loud as a gunshot in the quiet room.

"You see, I've spent a long time just imagining how you would look when I do this to you. Although hearing you and tasting you is enough, I am greedy." Grian's mouth slid down the side of Mumbo's neck, Mumbo tipped his head back giving Grian the space to work. "Mumbo, you have given me a thirst that I just can't quench." He growled. "May I do the honours?" He asked, hands hovering over the buttons to his shirt once more. Mumbo glanced down to the man and nodded. Grian grinned as he slowly slipped each button through their holes, his breaths came out as small warm puffs that grazed across Mumbo's skin. "Oh, how I've dreamed of this." Grian growled. Mumbo's eyes widened.

"Y-You have?" He asked. Grian's eyes flicked up to meet the green of Mumbo's irises as he nodded. 

"Oh, yes. Your neck has been driving me crazy these last few days, your jaw, I've not been able to keep it from my thoughts, the shadow just here. I've wondered if it tastes as sweet as it looks. There's only one way to be certain." Grian muttered and pressed his lips to the space just under Mumbo's jaw and _licked._

Mumbo moaned then, his back arched as his muscles trembled at the storm of want curdled in his belly, trying to break free from his chest like a live thing. Grian soothed him, gently stroking his hands across Mumbo's thighs and while Mumbo was sure the touch was supposed to be calming, it was doing nothing to quell the need and want that writhing within him, lighting his nerves like a fire. "Grian." He whined.

"Shh, I know, love, I know." Grian hummed as he sunk lower on Mumbo's body. He ran his palms down Mumbo's legs as he pulled his shoes off.

Somehow, even the act of Grian removing Mumbo's shoes was loaded with erotic force, simply because Grian was holding Mumbo's calf as he pulled. Grian's eyes were focused on the curve of Mumbo's ankle as he freed his foot from the confines of the shoe. It didn't help that as soon as Grian had deposited the shoe to the ground, he was cradling Mumbo's heel in his hand, pressing a soft kiss to his instep. Mumbo hissed with shocked delight. He let Mumbo's foot delicately fall to the mattress as he then reached for his other. His hand gently rubbed against the calf, his mouth following in its track, gently hovering over the muscle, but not touching, until he had freed Mumbo's foot from the shoe and he pressed a soft kiss to his ankle, sucking on the joint, rubbing circles into the sole of his foot. Mumbo couldn't help but cry out. 

“I know,” Grian murmurs, his voice full of sympathy. “I know, I feel it too. I want to _devour_ you.”

He looks up at Mumbo then and the raven-haired man can see how wide Grian's pupils have grown, the black swallowing up the blue of his irises until they were but a slither of colour. Grian ran his hands back up over Mumbo's knees, across this thighs, until his palms were framing the bulge in Mumbo's trousers. He leaned in close, his breath hot against Mumbo's inner thigh. Even through the fabric, Mumbo could feel the heat of it. He has to clench his eyes shut for fear he would orgasm before Grian had started. Grian held his mouth there. His breath came out warm, before he spoke. “I want to eat you up.”

Mumbo couldn't bear it. The hunger in Grian's voice sent sparks of pleasure straight to his cock, and before he could stop himself, Mumbo's hands had reached down and were fisting the material of Grian's shirt, dragging him up to press Grian's mouth against his, lips parting immediately to allow the blond's tongue entry to his mouth. Grian's lips were moving over Mumbo's, soft and slow and wet. Mumbo pushed up into that lovely heat. Grian kissed him slow and deep, a hand slid into his hair, pulling gently at his raven strands. Mumbo’s entire body jerked in response to the slight pressure on his scalp.

“Grian! Do that again...”

Grian tugged gently, tilting Mumbo's head back on the pillow, baring his throat, and Mumbo can feel his entire body filling with heat, his arousal gathered force between his legs, a silky warmth that curled and shivered. It was hot and heavy, a deep thrumming that pulsed in time with his heartbeat. Grian grinned down at the man, his hands abandoning the silky hair to pinch at the waistband of Mumbo's trousers. "Tell me if I'm going too fast." He muttered as he unlatched the button and gently pulled the garment down from Mumbo's hips, flinging the black material to the floor, revealing the long pale expanse of Mumbo's legs. Grian ran his fingers across the skin there, from his ankles to his thighs. Without the trousers to mute the feeling, sparks lit where the pads of Grian's fingers met the skin of his thighs. Mumbo moaned and shivered under the attention that was lavished over him. 

Grian gently lifted Mumbo's legs, exposing his most private area. Mumbo whimpered at the vulnerability, but was soothed instantly, as Grian's lips descended on his own once more. While occupied, those devilish little fingers began to slip between them, pressing ever-so-softly to the tight little pucker between Mumbo's legs. Grian gently pushed inside. "Is this okay?" He asked, words gasping. Mumbo nodded, his blush bright on his cheeks, panting and quivering at the sensations. He had never been filled before and the feeling was both alien and pleasurable. It stung, but it was perfect. Grian pressed a kiss to the inside of Mumbo's knee as he lifted himself into position. "Are you ready, love?" He asked, as he lined himself up. Mumbo glanced down, his eyes half-lidded with the force of the pleasure that surrounded him. He whimpered but gave a gasped "Yes." 

As Grian pushed inside, Mumbo's head fell back to the pillow, he screamed in pleasure and pain, it all coiled and curled in a heated mix between them, fluttering and floating in his belly as sparks shot through his cock. Mumbo trembled like a leaf, in Grian's hands. The blond leant forward and captured his lips once more as he began to set a soft rhythm between the two, his hand moved to stroke Mumbo's member. Mumbo gasped and writhed, rolling his hips in time with Grian. The symphonies between them sang their soft tunes of pleasure as the two men whimpered and moaned, their pleasure mixed and splashed together, as they rose in accordance. They needed, they felt, they touched. Mumbo could feel it, could feel that precipice. He was dangling, but a teetering body at the edge of the unknown, his eyes flicked open and fixed to Grian. He wasn't alone, he reached a hand and intertwined their fingers, together they would leap and together they would be. Mumbo screamed as one more thrust was given to him, one more stroke. He saw stars, felt the planets align. He was there, rolling with white-hot pleasure, an agony that was so sweet and bitter but amazing. Lighting his nerves delicately. 

Grian yelled as he plunged in one last time, spilling his seed inside Mumbo, his muscles strained as he held himself there, the two men together. Their sweaty bodies clung to one another as they both rode the high of their orgasms. Mumbo came back to himself, his muscles trembling and sore. "How was that, darling?" Grian asked, his breath a panting huff against his cheek. Mumbo glanced up to those endless blue eyes. He grinned. "Amazing."

"Mumbo?" The sound of Cub's voice broke through their haze, their protected bubble. "Mumbo, are you in there?" His voice grew in desperation as he slammed his fist into the door, knocking hard. Mumbo's eyes widened, he glanced to Grian wordlessly. The blond had paled at the sound of their interrupter.

"Darling, you need to get dressed and we are going to run, okay?" Grian muttered, his eyes light with the fire of a challenge, a mischievous smile played on his lips. "Are you ready." Still alive from his orgasm, Mumbo grinned excitedly. Let the games begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, how was it? I hope it made up for you all waiting so long. If you all enjoyed it, please leave kudos if you haven't already and comment your thoughts, I love to read about what you guys think of my stories :D
> 
> I'd also like to give a massive thank you to you all for being so patient and to everyone who has given me support for this story :D I have really enjoyed writing it and I cannot wait to post the next chapter :D
> 
> Stay safe and I'll see you all in the next one!


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